93 books like Orphans

By Eileen Simpson,

Here are 93 books that Orphans fans have personally recommended if you like Orphans. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Dave at Night

Marlene Trestman Author Of Most Fortunate Unfortunates: The Jewish Orphans' Home of New Orleans

From my list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults.

Why am I passionate about this?

A former special assistant to Maryland’s attorney general, I reluctantly gave up my three-decade legal career to tell two remarkable stories I was uniquely qualified to tell. Orphaned at age 11, I grew up in New Orleans as a foster care client of the Jewish Children’s Regional Service, the agency that formerly ran the orphanage in which my mentor, legal trailblazer Bessie Margolin, was raised. It was also the orphanage in which I would've been raised had it not closed in 1946. During the time I spent with Bessie Margolin she inspired me to both become her future biographer and go on to write the first comprehensive history of the nation’s earliest purpose-built Jewish orphanage.

Marlene's book list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults

Marlene Trestman Why did Marlene love this book?

Newberry Honor book winner Gail Carson Levine beautifully captures the life of eleven-year-old Dave, a troublemaking orphan in 1926, and his time in New York’s Hebrew Home for Boys.

When I years ago read this book to my son, who was abut Dave’s age, both of us became enthralled with not only the vivid description of the sometimes tough and rigid orphanage in the Lower East Side, but also Dave’s late-night adventures into the beautiful music and among the kind strangers and leading figures of the Harlem Renaissance.

Loosely based on her father’s time in New York’s Hebrew Orphan Asylum, Levine opens a window and lets us hear the Yiddish sounds and lets us peak into the early twentieth-century world of Jewish orphanages, while also celebrating the boisterous joys of friendship with unlikely partners.

By Gail Carson Levine,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Dave at Night as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

If nobody wants him, that's fine.He'll just take care of himself.

When his father dies, Dave knows nothing will ever be thesame. And then it happens. Dave lands in an orphanage—the cold and strict Hebrew Home for Boys in Harlem—far from the life he knew on the Lower East Side. But he's not so worried. He knows he'll be okay. He always is. If it doesn't work out, he'll just leave, find a better place to stay. But it's not that simple.

Outside the gates of the orphanage, the nighttime streets of Harlem buzz with jazz musicians and swindlers; exclusive…


Book cover of Alone in the World: Orphans And Orphanages In America

Marlene Trestman Author Of Most Fortunate Unfortunates: The Jewish Orphans' Home of New Orleans

From my list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults.

Why am I passionate about this?

A former special assistant to Maryland’s attorney general, I reluctantly gave up my three-decade legal career to tell two remarkable stories I was uniquely qualified to tell. Orphaned at age 11, I grew up in New Orleans as a foster care client of the Jewish Children’s Regional Service, the agency that formerly ran the orphanage in which my mentor, legal trailblazer Bessie Margolin, was raised. It was also the orphanage in which I would've been raised had it not closed in 1946. During the time I spent with Bessie Margolin she inspired me to both become her future biographer and go on to write the first comprehensive history of the nation’s earliest purpose-built Jewish orphanage.

Marlene's book list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults

Marlene Trestman Why did Marlene love this book?

The author of nearly three dozen nonfiction books for young people, Catherine Reef reveals through her clear writing, first-hand accounts, and photographs what it was really like for a child to grow up in an orphanage in America from the mid-1850s to the early 20th century when nearly all of these congregate dependent childcare institutions closed.

Reef also includes a satisfying Afterword that lets us know “where life led some of the children” who appeared in her book. Although intended for a young reader, Alone in the World also proved a strong resource to me in writing my book and will interest anyone who wants a thoughtful and deeply-researched overview of this topic.

By Catherine Reef,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Alone in the World as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Uncovers the true history of American orphanages, revealing what it was like to eat, sleep, study, and play in such institutions, why children were sent to live there in the first place, what happened to them after they left, and more.


Book cover of Orphan #8

Marlene Trestman Author Of Most Fortunate Unfortunates: The Jewish Orphans' Home of New Orleans

From my list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults.

Why am I passionate about this?

A former special assistant to Maryland’s attorney general, I reluctantly gave up my three-decade legal career to tell two remarkable stories I was uniquely qualified to tell. Orphaned at age 11, I grew up in New Orleans as a foster care client of the Jewish Children’s Regional Service, the agency that formerly ran the orphanage in which my mentor, legal trailblazer Bessie Margolin, was raised. It was also the orphanage in which I would've been raised had it not closed in 1946. During the time I spent with Bessie Margolin she inspired me to both become her future biographer and go on to write the first comprehensive history of the nation’s earliest purpose-built Jewish orphanage.

Marlene's book list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults

Marlene Trestman Why did Marlene love this book?

Kim Van Alkemade wrote this New York Times bestselling novel based upon a series of real-life experiences, including those of her great-grandmother who worked as a counselor in New York’s Hebrew Orphan Asylum.

Orphan #8 is a powerful and unforgettable book about Rachel, who after being placed in New York’s Hebrew Infant Home, is subjected to experimental radiation treatments as Dr. Mildred Solomon bolsters her medical reputation at the expense of the little girl’s health.

The story focuses on Rachel, now an adult nurse, when Dr. Solomon becomes her patient. Given the widespread popularity of this book, I know I was not the only reader riveted by Rachel’s choice between compassion and retribution, and the extraordinary human capacity to cause harm and to love. 

By Kim van Alkemade,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Orphan #8 as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In this stunning new historical novel inspired by true events, Kim van Alkemade tells the fascinating story of a woman who must choose between revenge and mercy when she encounters the doctor who subjected her to dangerous medical experiments in a New York City Jewish orphanage years before. In 1919, Rachel Rabinowitz is a vivacious four-year-old living with her family in a crowded tenement on New York City's Lower Eastside. When tragedy strikes, Rachel is separated from her brother Sam and sent to a Jewish orphanage where Dr. Mildred Solomon is conducting medical research. Subjected to X-ray treatments that leave…


Book cover of Second Home: Orphan Asylums and Poor Families in America

Marlene Trestman Author Of Most Fortunate Unfortunates: The Jewish Orphans' Home of New Orleans

From my list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults.

Why am I passionate about this?

A former special assistant to Maryland’s attorney general, I reluctantly gave up my three-decade legal career to tell two remarkable stories I was uniquely qualified to tell. Orphaned at age 11, I grew up in New Orleans as a foster care client of the Jewish Children’s Regional Service, the agency that formerly ran the orphanage in which my mentor, legal trailblazer Bessie Margolin, was raised. It was also the orphanage in which I would've been raised had it not closed in 1946. During the time I spent with Bessie Margolin she inspired me to both become her future biographer and go on to write the first comprehensive history of the nation’s earliest purpose-built Jewish orphanage.

Marlene's book list on orphans and orphanages for children and adults

Marlene Trestman Why did Marlene love this book?

Perhaps the standard bearer in scholarly research about the history of orphanages in America, U Mass Boston Professor Timothy Hacsi’s Second Home is essential reading for anyone seriously studying the subject.

Armed with tables that cogently summarize – by decade - the number and types of orphanages, their populations, funding sources, and staffing ratios, Hacsi surveys the landscape of American public policy in the 19th and 20th centuries as religious groups, Progressives, and ultimately government responded to the needs of dependent children and families. 

By Timothy A. Hacsi,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Second Home as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As orphan asylums ceased to exist in the late 20th century, interest in them dwindled as well. Yet, from the Civil War to the Great Depression, America's dependent children - children whose families were unable to care for them - received more aid from orphan asylums than from any other means. This omission in the growing literature on poverty in America is addressed in this book. As Timothy Hacsi shows, most children in 19th-century orphan asylums were half-orphans, children with one living parent who was unable to provide for them. The asylums spread widely and endured because different groups -…


Book cover of The Alloy of Law

Luke Steele Author Of Earth's Child: Plagues Result

From my list on the most developed mechanical magic systems.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a person with nearly unlimited curiosity who has been telling stories since I was small. There is literally almost no topic I have not read or inquired about, and fantasy is where curiosity has fueled my imagination. Learning, exploring, and sharing what I discover are my passion so I hope you will enjoy my first publicly shared story.

Luke's book list on the most developed mechanical magic systems

Luke Steele Why did Luke love this book?

This book combined the old west with a very thought-out magic system that enhanced the setting. The humor was sometimes tear-drawingly funny for me. The characters seemed alive, complex, and independent. The world seemed real and tangible if not quite like our world. The magic also had a refreshing take and allows for infinite speculation on how the powers might cross-combine. It also had moments of monumental exercises of power as well as monumental limits on powers complicating the storyline.

By Brandon Sanderson,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Alloy of Law as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Brandon Sanderson, the Mistborn series is a heist story of political intrigue and magical, martial-arts action.

Three hundred years after the events of the Mistborn trilogy, Scadrial is now on the verge of modernity, with railroads to supplement the canals, electric lighting in the streets and the homes of the wealthy, and the first steel-framed skyscrapers racing for the clouds.

Kelsier, Vin, Elend, Sazed, Spook, and the rest are now part of history—or religion. Yet even as science and technology are reaching new heights, the old magics of Allomancy and Feruchemy continue to…


Book cover of Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster

Karen Krossing Author Of Monster vs. Boy

From my list on middle-grade about monsters and facing our fears.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was small, a goblin lived in my closet. I was sure of it. At night, I huddled under my blanket, listening to the unexplainable noises coming from my closet. And yet, I also have felt like that monster hiding in the closet—afraid to enter the wide world, afraid of who I might meet and what they might think of me. I have felt different. Misunderstood. This list of monstrous middle-grade books shows how our story monsters are more than metaphors. They are a way to understand ourselves, our big emotions, our daydreams, and our nightmares. I guarantee these books will delight and empower younger and older readers.

Karen's book list on middle-grade about monsters and facing our fears

Karen Krossing Why did Karen love this book?

Set in 1875 London, this children’s novel tells the story of a hungry, overworked girl who labors as a chimney sweep and the golem made of soot who cares for her.

I adore the idea of a soot golem as a caregiver and someone to care for. And don’t we all need to love and be loved, even though it can feel scary and risky at times? This story made me want my own soot monster. 

By Jonathan Auxier,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Sweep as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 8, 9, 10, and 11.

What is this book about?

From the New York Times bestselling author Jonathan Auxier comes an enchanting standalone novel about the power of friendship and the beauty of finding home

Nan Sparrow is one of London's countless "climbers"-children who spend their days cleaning chimneys. The work is brutal and dangerous. Thanks to her wits and will, Nan has managed to beat the deadly odds time and time again. But when she gets stuck in a chimney fire, it seems the end has come. Instead, she awakens to find herself unharmed in an abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a…


Book cover of The Lies of Locke Lamora

Alister Dray Penborn Author Of A Theory in Shadejacktresy Case 0: Manor of Reunion

From my list on action suspense paranormal in the mystery.

Why am I passionate about this?

My name is Alister Dray Penborn. I am a lifelong mystery lover, all the way back to my favorite childhood cartoon, Scooby-Doo, and my favorite anime, Detective Conan, or Case Closed as it was called in the US at the time of airing. It's a passion that grew over the years as I was exposed to even more great mysteries. One of the most appealing aspects is the investigation process, where a character sees the inconsistencies of crime scenes, analyzes and makes sense of events, and collects and relies on the slightest clues to act as puzzle pieces to the full picture.

Alister's book list on action suspense paranormal in the mystery

Alister Dray Penborn Why did Alister love this book?

The Gentleman Bastards are a fun, exciting group with a connection that feels genuine throughout the story and has, by far, some of the best and most hilarious dialogue I've ever read in a book. I've also learned quite a bit about fantasy storytelling from this story, in that you can craft a compelling fantasy story without huge, world-changing stacks by making the characters emotionally motivated in their goal.

The mystery was also a pleasant surprise, as it incorporated clever clues and plot points that came together nicely for a satisfying conclusion. Actions and choices actually weighed in on the events.

By Scott Lynch,

Why should I read it?

14 authors picked The Lies of Locke Lamora as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'One of my top ten books ever. Maybe top five. If you haven't read it, you should' Patrick Rothfuss, New York Times bestselling author of The Name of the Wind

'Fresh, original and engrossing' George R.R. Martin, the phenomenon behind A Game of Thrones

They say that the Thorn of Camorr can beat anyone in a fight. They say he steals from the rich and gives to the poor. They say he's part man, part myth, and mostly street-corner rumor. And they are wrong on every count.

Only averagely tall, slender, and god-awful with a sword, Locke Lamora is the…


Book cover of The Ruby in the Smoke: A Sally Lockhart Mystery

Bridget Walsh Author Of The Tumbling Girl

From my list on crime set in the nineteenth century.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m a lover of all things Victorian and an obsessive researcher. Academic libraries are my favourite places in the world and I like nothing more than uncovering some weird nugget of information that forces me to reappraise what I thought I knew. With a PhD in Victorian domestic murder and a fascination with the weirder elements of Victorian life, it was almost inevitable I’d turn my hand to writing crime fiction set in that era. The five books I’ve recommended are some of the best crime novels set in the nineteenth century, but written more recently.

Bridget's book list on crime set in the nineteenth century

Bridget Walsh Why did Bridget love this book?

Do not be put off by the fact this book, and the others in the Sally Lockhart quartet, are often marketed as children’s/YA literature. Like the best of fiction, they transcend categorisation.

The Ruby in the Smoke introduces us to the indomitable Sally Lockhart, orphaned and forced to uncover the secret behind her father’s death. She’s feisty and fiercely independent, navigating her way in a world where the chips are stacked against her. Pullman provides us with an impeccably researched foray into the 1870s, all wrapped up in a hugely entertaining read. 

By Philip Pullman,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Ruby in the Smoke as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

The first book in Philip Pullman's classic SALLY LOCKHART quartet
in a beautiful new edition to celebrate the 30 year anniversary.

Soon after Sally Lockhart's father drowns at sea, she receives an
anonymous letter. The dire warning it contains makes a man die of
fear at her feet. Determined to discover the truth about her father's
death, Sally is plunged into a terrifying mystery in the dark
heart of Victorian London, at the centre of which lies a deadly
blood-soaked jewel. Philip Pullman's ever-popular, action-packed
Victorian melodramas are rejacketed for the bicentenary of Charles
Dickens in 2012.


Book cover of The Stowaway

Krista Jain Author Of A Rokian's Curse

From my list on fantasy that pull you right in from the start.

Why am I passionate about this?

Anything involving an adventure with lovable characters is my cup of tea when it comes to books. I love all different kinds and will read books for children as well as huge worlds of epic complications. But while a complex novel can be just as great as any other, sometimes it’s hard to get started. Some unique worlds or characters have so much backstory you need to understand before embarking on the quest. It can ask for too much investment. Make me fall in love quickly. Leave me asking questions. Engage my senses, and I will find myself within the pages, unable to let go. 

Krista's book list on fantasy that pull you right in from the start

Krista Jain Why did Krista love this book?

I was a teenager when I read the Stone of Tymora trilogy, and I remember the agonizing wait between book releases. This is a must-read for those looking for an adventure with pirates! This adventure somewhat runs along the events of another series based on R.A. Salvatore’s Drizzt Do’urden books. Sometimes those characters slip in, but our main character, Maimun, has his own journey.  

Despite being in the same universe, this trilogy is less complex to follow than the hefty lore across Drizzt’s books, but the mystery behind the stone in the title our hero has at the beginning will have you glued in your seat waiting for answers.  

By R. A. Salvatore, Geno Salvatore,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Stowaway as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

From the author of more than a dozen New York Times bestsellers comes the first installment in a thrilling fantasy trilogy written for young readers

Barely a teen and already guarding a secret that could jeopardize his young life, Maimun is marked for death. With the help of a mysterious stranger, the boy escapes his village and flees out to sea, stowing away on the pirate hunting ship, Sea Sprite, where he comes across a most unlikely ally: the dark elf Drizzt Do'Urden. With a half-demon determined to destroy him, and a crew of sailors resentful of the trouble he's…


Book cover of The Long Season of Rain

Bruce and Ju-Chan Fulton Author Of Mina

From my list on Hell Chosŏn.

Why are we passionate about this?

A couple who have been claimed by Korea—Bruce as a US Peace Corps volunteer there and Ju-Chan as a native Korean and an English teacher—and its culture, society, history, and especially literary heritage. We have been translating modern Korean fiction into English since 1980. Bruce was fated to become involved with Korean literature by virtue of being born on October 9, the day in 1446 when Great King Sejong promulgated (officially announced) the creation of the Korean alphabet, hangŭl, to the people of Korea.

Bruce's book list on Hell Chosŏn

Bruce and Ju-Chan Fulton Why did Bruce love this book?

The Long Season of Rain (the title refers to the monsoons that afflict the Korean Peninsula at the start of summer) reminds us that in Hell Chosŏn women remain subservient to men in almost every sphere of society, and learn early on to endure silently instead of speaking out. This novel exemplifies the richness of Korean-American young-adult novels, which often focus on coming of age and the quest for identity. Especially poignant is the author’s use of a naïve narrator, the daughter of a woman who learns that her husband has taken a concubine.

By Helen Kim,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Long Season of Rain as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 12, 13, 14, and 15.

What is this book about?

When the grey Korean Changma--the rainy season--arrives, eleven-year-old Junehee resigns herself to long months cooped up with her sisters, her mother, and her grandmother. But this year, the Changma brings more than water. Orphaned by a mudslide, a young boy comes to live in Junehee's house--and stirs up long-hidden secrets in her family.

For as the rain drums out its story on the sloped roofs of the village, Junehee's own family story unfolds. And Junehee soon realizes that her mother's sadness is tied to a long-standing tradition that neglects women's dreams--a tradition that Junehee hopes to break free of. .…


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